Gay Cowboy Loses the Ranch
Broadsheet links to an excellent interview with Sam Beaumont, an Oklahoma rancher who lost his home after his partner of 24 years, Earl Meadows died in 2000. Beaumont was featured in the documentary Tying the Knot: He waged a 5-year court battle with some of Meadows’ cousins who sued for the property, even though Meadows had left the ranch to Beaumont in his will. The Oklahoma judge, afraid to be so revolutionary as to render a judgement that would give legal standing to a gay couple, sided with the cousins, who then evicted Beaumont and are still pursuing him for taxes and legal fees. It’s a great interview, both because of the awful injustice of the case and because of the surprising, touching story of Beaumont’s and Meadows’ relationship. The two led an open life in the small town of Bristow, raising five kids with the support of their parents and living as a couple for over two decades without ruffling anyone’s feathers.
A Real Live Brokeback Cowboy [In These Times]
